ChiroVette

The hand washing instructions on my Garneau shorts (Mid level. I paid $50.00 for them at my LBS) are hand wash ONLY and only in cold water, then hang dry. While others may be comfortable not doing this, so far, I only own one pair, so I follow those instructions meticulously. It is easy, to be honest. I just squeeze a little soap into my small bathroom sink, fill it up with cold water. Then I wash the shorts in it, sort of gently scrubbing with my fingers, massaging the soapy water into the fabric and the chamois. I wash it inside out then normal, and then I hang them on the shower door to dry. Honestly, it takes only a couple of minutes to wash them this way, so why take a chance with a pair of spandex shorts that costs $50.00 or more?

FBinNY 

Just about anything that says "hand wash" can be washed in a machine with a gentle ("hand wash") cycle. Why do you think machines have this? Shorts aren't very delicate at all, and can be washed in a normal cycle (COLD WATER), as long as the load isn't super heavy. About the only hand wash items that can't go into a machine are loose knits that would get stretched by the mechanical action. Cycle wear isn't in this category.

No problem with doing it more carefully it you want, but don't feel that it's necessary. If you ride daily, and have better ways to spend your time when you get home, feel free to take advantage of your modern appliances.

mprelaw

I've machine washed every pair of shorts/bibs that I've ever owned for years. Cold water, air dry. From DeMarchis down to cheap Aero Tech.

However, if you only have one pair, and you ride every day, hand washing them after every ride makes a lot of sense. You shouldn't really wear shorts twice without washing, although, I'm not always the best at following my own advice.

FrankHudson

Five pair of lycra bibs and a three of the baggy shorts. I wash them along with other underwear once a week. Warm wash, cold rinse, extra rinse cycle, then air dry. Nothing's worn out yet, but then I'm a frequent but lower mileage rider and the oldest pair is 2 years old.

Even for what would be considered comically short rides here, I tend to wear cycling shorts. I don't really need the padding for short rides, but I chafe easily and regular pants' seems, along with plumbers butt and tight/slipping waistbands are what I'm avoiding.

dual650c

Hmm... I'm no fan of John Travolta, but I use his Saturday Night Fever method and wash my shorts with me in the shower. No big deal and no fancy soaps. Hang 'em on the curtain rod overnight and they're ready to go the next day.

Never really thought too much about sticking them in the dryer - I don't do that with my jerseys, why would I do that with the shorts?

Then again, I don't have a "SO/significant nagger" to worry about either. And if I did, I'd probably argue, "You hang your scanties there, I'm just following your lead."

Frequency-wise, I rotate jerseys more often than shorts, mostly because I own more of the former than the latter.

Oh, and my shorts are "el cheapo" brand - whatever I find under $15 including shipping on fleabay. I think I've got 5 pair from China. All have held up well over more than 5000 miles each over the last three years.

ChiroVette

I totally hear you. And if I had a washing machine in my apartment, then I would likely do it that way, then hang dry them. But not having a washing machine means that I would have to wait for whenever I am ready to do laundry to wash my one, lone pair of bike shorts. Add to that the fact that as a doctor, I wear a shirt and tie to work, so much of my laundry is dry cleaning AND the fact that I live alone and don't have kids, and you quickly realize I don't do regular laundry often enough to keep my cycling shorts non-smelly without taking a minute or two out of my day to wash them in my bathroom sink.

Camilo

I would never hand wash anything at home (have a washer and dryer), and if I owned something that said hand wash only, I'd wash it in the machine and if it's ruined, good riddance.

When I travel, I hand wash, and if I lived in a place w/o a washer/dryer, I'd hand wash... or own enough shorts to last between trips to the washeteria. But regardless of what anyone says, it's a PITA ... and unless you do a good job washing and rinsing, which takes time and effort, there's no way it cleans and rinsesas well as a washing machine. Yea, yea, it's not a huge big deal, but no reason to do it if you don't have to. And there's no reason to do it with bicycle clothing except for lack of facilities or lack of value to one's time and effort.

I wash my cotton and wool knit sweaters in the machine (again, in garment bags like I use for my bibs) and they last forever. They are much more fragile than any bike shorts.

registrar

I always hand wash my bike clothes (jersey, shorts and skinsuit). Air dried (not under the sun, No UV please).

All my cycling clothes last many years without any damages, not even a tiny hole.

Wear and take off carefully !


Thank you

registrar

more is better, but should hand wash them all !

Castelli, Sugoi and Sportful are good brands !

pdlamb

Air drying in the sun helps keep the stink down on my poly jerseys. Borax in the washing machine takes care of the rest.

The only UV problem I've had was the high-vis jersey I wore about 1/3 of the way across the country has faded. Care in taking them off only goes to keeping my glasses from flying off and landing on the floor.

bbbean 

I hand wash and drip dry after every ride, washing machine once I've worn a pair 4 or 5 times, or after an especially big ride (i.e. century, weekend of racing, etc). Used to just hang them up to air out and wash ever 2 or 3 rides, but I developed a few saddle sores. Regular washings put a halt to that.

FWIW, I ride 6 days a week, and rotate 3 pair of bibs.

hockeyref

I just jump into the shower with them, get them good and wet and then hand wash with antibacterial soap and rinse well. I then wrap in a towel to wring the water out hang hang dry. Synthetic chamois means dry shorts the next day. Two pair means on is always clean.

Camillo - I've found that out high efficiency front loader doesn't use enough water for my taste during the wash cycle or the rinse cycle. I'll take the time to hand wash and rinse well thank you...

Machka 

+1

SlowAndSlower

House rules: wash after every ride, bibs, jersey, headsweat, gloves, socks, heart-monitor belt and whatever. Handwash cycle and air dry all.

Bassmanbob

After every ride, mine go in the bottom of the tub during my shower for a good initial rinsing. Then I clean them with body soap and rinse again. They get hung to dry on the shower bar. It takes me about two minutes total and they get done every time. If I started putting them in the machine, I would sometimes forget to put them in or take them out to dry.

StanSeven

Modern fabric and modern washing machines and fabric together are fine. You can pretty much put any normal fabrics in a washing machine and dryer using the proper settings and it causes absolutely no harm.

Think about all the abuse bibs take riding in sweat and rain over a three hour ride as well as 100 degree days in intense sunlight. You think washing and drying them in a machine using gentle settings causes harm?

Looigi

Oxiclean > Borax in my experience, though borax is generally good enough except perhaps for especially stubborn stains or odors, and it's way cheaper. Soiled whites particularly can come out better with Oxiclean.

FWIW: I machine wash (front loader) all my synthetic fabric cycling kit and machine dry at moderate heat. I have a suspicion that much of the wear and tear in clothing comes from the agitator in top loaders, especially with the frequency some wash their garments.

flatlander_48

Exactly. Washing a lot of little loads seems very wasteful regarding water and power usage. I also air dry as I paid too much to have the life shortened by getting things hot in the dryer. Cheaper too.

When I have ridden to work, I only wear one pair. I wouldn't use a second pair. 9 hours later the shorts were dry (hung outside).

Machka 

We are looking for Borax. We had no problem finding it where we used to live ... but cannot find it where we live now.

Mvcrash

I call my "SO/significant nagger" the "Magic Jeannie." I ride in my baggie bike shorts, I throw them in the hamper, they magically appear in my man cave several days later. Also, I have daughters who consistantly hang up things I should not be seeing in all four of the bathrooms in my house. Years ago I once thought a pair of panties was an eye patch. girls.....ughhhhhhhhhh

Dual 650c, Thanks for the laugh.

pdlamb

If you're near a Walmart, I've found Borax there lately. Sometimes it'll show up in one of the grocery stores or in the one old-time hardware store left in town.

linnefaulk

Borax seems a little harsh. I started using Charlie's Soap and love how well it works with no dyes or fragrances.

caloso

I probably have 6 pairs of bibs in active rotation. I get two kits per season and I've been doing this for a while so I've accumulated a fair bit of bike clothing. Previous year's kit for training and commuting, current year's kit for races and race-ish group rides. I wash them all in the machine on the delicate cycle. No biggie.

tagaproject6

No UV??? You ride exclusively at night?

Machka 

We're in Australia ... no Walmarts here.

We've tried grocery stores, department stores and hardware stores ... nothing so far.